What comes to mind when you here the phrase, "Your time is sacred?"
For me, it has a lot to do with being in the moment. In that time, I am not dwelling on the past or worried about the future; I am simply present. Present to what is happening inside of me and present to all that is happening around me.
I’m sure all of you have had sacred times and you probably look back at them with gratitude. I’d like to share two memories with you:
The first memory happened back in 2009. At the time, I was 19 years old and had just graduated from high school. I was in New Zealand and travelling with a group of friends. During this particular day, we were travelling through a large valley with enormous waterfalls on both sides of the road. It was also raining incredibly hard outside. I don’t know why, but for some reason, none of us talked to each other in the van. It was as if the moment demanded our attention. We were amazed. We were in awe. We were still.
The second memory happened just this past summer. My wife and I were visiting our family in Vanderhoof, British Columbia. My wife's brother and wife have 4 children, all under the age of 7. It’s a pretty busy household! During one of the days, I decided to smoke a pork shoulder on a Traeger smoker. If you’ve never used a smoker before, just know that this way of cooking takes time. This particular roast took close to 8 hours. As a result, I spent lots of time outside that day, watching the roast and my nephews. For some reason, this time outside was sacred to me. I felt so thankful for the time I had with my nephews and enjoyed playing/working with them. At one point, my nephews came out in their dress up clothes. We chased each other around the yard and had a lot of laughs together. A little while later, we were in the garage putting nails into different pieces of wood. We would intermittently check the smoker, say "hi" to Sunny (the dog) and then find another activity to do. It was a very simple day, but it was the best kind of day.
I don't know about you, but I'm hoping for more memories like the ones I've just described. I hope I can slow down enough to be in the moment. To let go of the control I think I have and be open to interruptions. Who knows, maybe these interruptions will actually be the best part of my day.
In his book, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry John Mark Comer writes, “Not long ago I was in San Francisco to meet and chat with an old friend. We decided to take a stroll rather than just sit for coffee. We had a few hours scheduled just to talk and with nowhere to be, but I found myself getting annoyed with his pace. It barely qualified as walking. He moseyed. Anytime he had something extra deep to say, he’d fully stop, turn to me, and say it slooooowly. I found myself tapping my feet and feeling all agitated. Come on, hurry up. Then I realized, Where in the world am I trying to get to so fast? We literally have no place to be!"
The next time you are rushing through your day, pause and ask: "Why am I in such a hurry?" Do you actually need to be somewhere or can you "stop and smell the roses?"
That is my encouragement for you today. As you walk through your day, slow down. Slow down your breathing, slow down your pace. To the best of your ability, be in the moment. Try not to dwell on the past and do your best not to worry about the future. Be fully attentive to the moment. I can’t guarantee it, however, I think there will be a good chance that you will look back on your day and consider those moments as sacred.
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